1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pair of rigid metallic members that may be attached to the sides of an electronic chassis and, more particularly, to a pair of rigid metallic members that can be used for organizing electrical or optical cables and enhancing the rigidity of the chassis.
2. Background Description
Computer and telecommunications equipment is commonly mounted in equipment racks. Such equipment is performing increasingly complex tasks and is generally assuming a corresponding increase in weight. As a result, equipment chassis are becoming larger, heavier, and generally designed to hold, for example, more plug-in modules. In the past, such equipment has been mounted using, for example, simple xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped brackets attached to the sides of the equipment, or flanges bent into the front of the chassis sides. However, the larger and more complex equipment has rendered conventional mounting flanges and brackets less able to adequately support the equipment.
We have discovered, as shown in FIG. 1, that as this telecommunications equipment has generally become more highly functioned and correspondingly heavier, with more modules 102-138 in each chassis, substantial lateral forces 140 are exerted on the sides of the chassis 142, causing the sides 144 to bow outwards. This bowing tends to result in gaps (146-152) in the radio frequency (RF) gaskets located between modules particularly located nearest to the sides 144 of the chassis, as well as gaps between modules (102, 138) adjacent to the chassis wall 144. Gaps (not shown) may also occur between modules located toward the center of the plurality of modules 102-138 (e.g., modules 120 and 122, and/or modules 120 and 118, etc).
Electrical or optical cables (not shown) are typically connected to the fronts of the modules (102-138), whereas the rear of the modules (not shown) are generally plugged into separate equipment (not shown). In addition, more modules generally lead to more cables, which should preferably be arranged in a manner such that access to the modules and/or equipment is not obstructed. In addition, and particularly in the case of fiber optic cables, it is desirable to provide additional protection from, for example, random handling and impact forces that may be exerted on equipment wiring during normal equipment maintenance.
It is a feature and advantage of the present invention to provide an integrated mounting bracket and cable organizer (xe2x80x9cthe bracketxe2x80x9d) that can be attached to, for example, a telecommunications equipment chassis in order to provide additional structural support thereto.
It is still another feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a cabling channel that can replace existing channels often installed as a separate item in environments where computer or communications equipment is commonly installed, thereby providing a saving of material and installation expense for users of equipment employing the present invention.
It is yet another feature and advantage of the present, invention to provide a bracket that provides enhanced protection from the random handling and impact forces that may be exerted on equipment wiring during, for example, normal equipment maintenance.
It is another feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a bracket that facilitates access to the equipment.
The bracket according to the present invention is preferably a substantially rigid, substantially rectangular tube fabricated from substantially heavy gauge sheet metal. At least one brackets is preferably attached to each of opposing sides of, for example, a chassis holding telecommunications equipment. The bracket preferably comprises a series of cutouts that allow access to a plurality of mounting holes used to secure each bracket to the respective sides of the chassis. The cutouts advantageously allow cables to be extracted from the bracket and dressed to the front of the equipment for attachment to the chassis or individual plug-in modules as required. The bracket is preferably open at the top and bottom portions thereof to allow cables to pass therethrough.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.